Adjust oven rack to lower middle position-, heat oven to 225 degrees.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit large pastry bag
with 1/2-inch plain decorating tip. 2. Sift 2 tablespoons granulated
sugar with confectioners' sugar-,set aside. 3. Place egg whites in
large bowl of electric mixer. Using whisk attachment, whip them on low
speed just until frothy. Increase speed to medium, sprinkle in 2
tablespoons reserved granulated sugar, and continue whipping to soft
peaks. Gradually add 1/3 cup reserved granulated sugar, continue
whipping to stiff, glossy peaks. Stop mixer, rub some meringue between
your fingers. If smooth, proceed to next step. If still grainy,
continue beating until smooth. 4. Sprinkle sifted powdered-sugar
mixture and chopped almonds over meringue, fold in with rubber spatula
until just incorporated. Immediately scoop meringue into prepared
pastry bag. 5. Use a compass to trace 8-inch and 6 1/2-inch circles on
parchment paper. If a compass is unavailable, use household items like
lids or ramekins as guides to trace around. Before forming meringue
shapes, pipe out or spoon a small quantity(about 1 1/2 teaspoon) of
meringue into each corner of parchment paper to keep it in place as
you work. Lightly spray each circle with cooking spray to ensure easy
removal of meringues. Beginning in center of traced circle, pipe
meringue in a continuous, widening spiral until it reaches edge of the
circle.Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to baking sheet, 1 1/2 to 2
inches from area you are piping. Apply continuous pressure as you
pipe. Pipe a couple of 1/2-inch disks with any excess meringue. These
extra meringues are used to test for doneness. 6. Bake meringues until
one of the test samples releases easily from paper and snaps crisply
after 5 minutes of cooling, 60 to 80 minutes. Once sample is crisp
when tested, remove baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack
until meringue disks are room temperature, about 30 minutes. Carefully
remove cooled meringues from paper. Place larger disk on 9-inch round
piece of cardboard or removable tart-pan bottom. Place smaller disk on
similar surface. Freeze both disks for 30 minutes. (Can also be stored
in an airtight container up to 2 weeks-, upon removal,freeze the disks
before adding topping.) 7. Spread 2 cups of strawberry ice cream over
each frozen disk with a flexible metal spatula. Return disk to freezer
for 30 minutes or until ice cream is firm. 8. Spread 1 cup of vanilla
ice cream over strawberry ice cream on large disk. Return disk to
freezer until ice cream is firm. 9. When ice cream on large disks is
frozen, carefully slide smaller meringue disk, ice-cream side up, on
top of ice-cream layers on large disk. Spread the remaining vanilla
ice cream over top and sides of cake. Move spatula from bottom upward
to contour top and create dome shape. Return dessert to freezer until
ice cream is firm. 10. Hold cake in one hand directly over a baking
pan containing nuts. Use other hand to gently press nuts into ice
cream. Nuts can be secured by pressing them gently into ice cream with
a flexible metal spatula. 11. Return cake to freezer for at least 4
hours or up to 1 day. About continued in part 2